Hot blues concert series gets cold slap of reality and a possible dead end

Kendra Stanley-Mills | Muskegon ChronicleLost?: Jack Mulder opened up his over 100-year-old barn, decorated with blues memorabilia to help raise money for area animal shelters, for a blues fundraising concert series. The barn is off the road at 4351 Holton Rd. in Dalton Township and down a long tree-lined driveway.DALTON TOWNSHIP -- When Jack Mulder created his summer blues concert series earlier this year, he thought he had covered all his bases: good music, a charitable cause, and an affordable price.

But there's one important group Mulder, who was planning on holding the concert series on his 16-acre Dalton Township farm, forgot to consult -- township planning officials. And it looks like it cost Mulder his chance to bring the blues to West Michigan.

Mulder this week canceled his planned 20-date concert series -- running from May to October -- after he received a letter from the township saying his property didn't meet zoning specifications necessary to hold a public concert.

Doing so, Mulder said, would require him to apply for at least two permits and, among other things, add another entrance to his property, create a gravel or paved parking lot, and receive approval from several township officials noting that his property is safe for a public gathering.

"I'm not a lawyer -- I didn't think about everything that would have come up," said Mulder, who says all the cash generated from ticket sales was to be donated to two local animal welfare agencies and a blues education group. "I'm a semiretired blues lover who wanted to help animals."

While the township's decision is drawing plenty of ire from Mulder's friends, township officials say their objection boils down to safety.

She also cited public health concerns, such as whether Mulder would provide enough public toilets.

"What if someone has a heart attack? We need to get people back there," she said. "If there was a fire, how are people supposed to get out? If people are trying to get out, how are firetrucks supposed to get in?"

If Mulder submits two applications by June 1 -- at a cost of about $400 each -- and receives approval from the township board, he could hold concerts at his property by mid-summer, Barrett said.

"If they would have come to us first, we could have helped them through the whole process," Barrett said, adding the cost of the applications is used to pay for public notices posted in the newspaper, letters sent to Mulder's neighbors, and to hold public hearings for the requested zoning change.

Although Mulder acknowledges he should have consulted with the township, he says the incident has cooled his enthusiasm over the concert series. He says the process is overly burdensome and would cost too much.

"The fact that this was for fundraising, on private property, and I have insurance, I assumed it would be OK," said Mulder, who says he isn't planning on submitting paperwork to the township. "When you get the feeling and vibe that they don't want anything out here, you're really reluctant to shove out another 800 bucks."